In the construction of modern convertible vehicles, increasing use is being made of convertible tops that comprise hard shell components that are connected to the body of the vehicle by positive control mechanisms, designed for example as link mechanisms and can be transferred automatically by means of these positive control mechanisms from a closed condition of the top to an open condition of the top, the hard shell components being deposited in a rear area of the vehicle in the open condition of the top.
DE 198 05 477 C1 discloses a top for a convertible vehicle, in which the top comprises two hard shell roof components, which are both fixed to one chain of links and can be deposited in a rear area of the vehicle by means of a drive of the chain of links during an opening process of the top. An arrangement of this kind, comprising two hard shell roof components, is not suitable for covering relatively large interiors of vehicles with, for example, four or more seats.
DE 199 34 673 C1 discloses a hard top for a convertible vehicle, in which a front, a central and a rear hard shell roof component are fixed on a common chain of links. Owing to the configuration of the chain of links, the front hard shell roof component is deposited over the central hard shell roof component when the top is opened, the central hard shell roof component coming to rest above the rear hard shell roof component, which has been transferred to a reversed position, in a rear area of the vehicle. It has proven disadvantageous here that the reversed convexity of the central and rear hard shell roof components in the deposited position does not contribute to optimum usage of the space in the rear area of the vehicle. Moreover, the rear window, which is generally provided in the rear shell component, faces an eventually remaining loading space of the vehicle underneath the stack of roof shell components, promoting damage to the rear window when the vehicle is being loaded.
DE 196 42 152 A1 discloses a top for a convertible vehicle, in which a front, a central and a rear hard shell roof component are fixed on a chain of links in such a way that, when the top is opened, the front roof component comes to rest underneath the central roof component and the central roof component comes to rest underneath the rear roof component, and furthermore a further drive apparatus in the rear area of the vehicle pivots a rear window, which can be inserted in the rear roof component, separately away from the stack of roof components.